1. Patents can be used collaterals to acquire loans. If you look into the assignment database of america Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), you will see that many patents are used on various banks. This is because patents are treated as tangible assets. They have their own values, and so they can freely be transferred from owner to a new, as with all other tangible properties. Banks could use patents as collaterals around the loans they lend to ensure that if a default occurs, they could seize the patents in order to remedy the default.
2. Patents can be used to increase a company's net worth. A company's patent portfolio may be appraised, and its value can added to the company's total asset value. When the company is offered for sale, value of its patents may help drive its sales price. The share prices of public companies could also increase after they acquire patents either by pursuing their particular innovations, licensing, or purchasing them.
3. Patents may be used to settle disputes or lawsuits. Businesses might think they just don't have to obtain patents when they usually do not plan to be plaintiffs in infringement lawsuits. However, they don't know that patents will help have them off infringement disputes or litigation. Many of the common in industries in which the major players own various patents. When two companies in the same industry fight in the courtroom over intellectual property infringement, the lawsuit oftentimes is resolved through cross-licensing. One cross-licensing scenario may involve Company A licensing a patented component from Company B, and Company B licensing a patented manufacturing technique for another product from Company A.
4. Patents have defensive uses. With these, competitors could be discouraged from obtaining rights to similar ideas, which consequently cuts down on the risk of competitors enforcing an infringement action with regards to your company. Additionally, with patents, competitors could be deterred from developing, selling or making similar items.